10 Students at the Centre for Children's Happiness, a centre for orphans and disadvantaged children in Phnom Penh, take to the streets to capture the essence of Cambodia.

Meet the photographers (above) then scroll down and explore the archives to see their progress each week....

EXHIBITION

The exhibition of the final work of the Smile Project will take place with an opening exhibition on 25 October 2008 at Gasolina (Street 57) in BKK, Phnom Penh. The exhibition will run for a month. We hope you visit to view the children's work.

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The students

Sponsorship

About the Smile Project

5 students from CCH are being instructed on how to use "point and shoot digital cameras" and compose good images. They wil also learn about street/documentary photography - The results will be exhibited in a bar/cafe in Phnom Penh in October(further details to follow)

The Centre for Children's Happiness

Copyright

Please note that you should not use the images taken by the students without permission. To do so is in breach of copyright and also deprives the children of the value of their work. The work is however for sale - Please email for details.

Contact details

For details on the project or to purchase a picture taken by the students you have seen on this site please leave a comment with your email and we will contact you. Or you can telephone +85517917601

Lesson in progress - Michelle instructs

Previously having lived in the UK Michelle is now resident in Phnom Penh. Michelle was previously a lawyer working occasionally as a part time as a freelance photographer in the UK. Her photography in the UK focused on contemporary wedding photography and documentary (or street) photography. Michelle’s photography has appeared in regional and national UK press and she has taken commissions for her art work. Now Michelle is in Phnom Penh she is continuing her passion for photography and combining this with her new role as a primary school teacher at an International School. Michelle has been involved with CCH since her arrival in Phnom Penh in March 2008 as an English teacher and volunteer helper.

Michelle is assisted by Brian Gray on many field visits to assist with ensuring the safety of the children and to provide additional reinforcement of the principles taught in the lessons. Brian has extensive experience in teaching children around the world. After initially teaching in Africa, Brian spent a substantial amount of time teaching all over Asia (China, Japan, Korea and Thailand). His focus is now upon Cambodia. Brian moved to Phnom Penh in November 2007 and since his arrival he has forged great links with CCH. Brian is the co-director of Paradise TEFL. This company trains teachers to teach English. These trainee teachers undertake part of their training at CCH and provide additional English classes to the students with great success.

What is Street Photography?

Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions, and other settings.

Street photography uses the techniques of straight photography in that it shows a pure vision of something, like holding up a mirror to society. This genre of photography is present in contemporary times and is usually done as black and white photographs. Street photography often tends to be ironic and can be distanced from its subject matter and often concentrates on a single human moment, caught at a decisive or poignant moment. On the other hand, much street photography takes the opposite approach and provides a very literal and extremely personal rendering of the subject matter, giving the audience a more visceral experience of walks of life they might only be passingly familiar with.

In the 20th century, street photographers have provided an exemplary and detailed record of street culture in Europe and North America, and elsewhere to a somewhat lesser extent.Many classic works of street photography were created in the period between roughly 1890 and 1975 and coincided with the introduction of portable cameras, especially small 35mm, rangefinder cameras. Classic practitioners of street photography include Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Alfred Eisenstaedt, W. Eugene Smith, William Eggleston, Brassaї, Willy Ronis, Robert Doisneau and Garry Winogrand.